Bitch Media - gaminghttp://bitchmagazine.org/taxonomy/term/3232/0
enWhy It Matters That Magic: The Gathering Now Has a Transgender Characterhttp://bitchmagazine.org/post/why-it-matters-that-magic-the-gathering-has-a-transgender-character
<p><img src="/sites/default/files/u2583/cardart_aleshawhosmilesatdeath.jpg" alt="a drawing of alesha" width="670" height="424" /></p>
<p style="padding-left: 150px;"><em><a class="autocard-link" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Alesha%2C+Who+Smiles+at+Death">Alesha, Who Smiles at Death</a>&nbsp;| Art by&nbsp;<a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?output=spoiler&amp;method=visual&amp;action=advanced&amp;artist=%5b%22Anastasia%20Ovchinnikova%22%5d" target="_blank">Anastasia Ovchinnikova</a></em></p>
<p>Wizards of the Coast, the company behind card game <a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/post/meet-the-awesome-league-of-female-magic-the-gathering-players" target="_blank">Magic: the Gathering</a>, revealed last week that one of the characters in the newest set of cards is a trans woman. Say hello to <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Alesha%2C+Who+Smiles+at+Death" target="_blank">Alesha, Who Smiles at Death</a>, the game’s first canon trans character. That might not seem like a big deal for people who don’t play Magic, but the creation of the character marks a significant step forward in LGBTQ representation within the game. And with that, it’s a positive development for all of geek culture—which has <a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/post/three-lgbt-gamers-talk-about-queering-geek-culture" target="_blank">not always been good at including queer representations in games.</a></p>
<p>For the uninitiated, Magic: The Gathering is a collectible trading card game played by roughly 12 million people around the world. People can dismiss it as a nerdy niche, but 12 million players is nothing to scoff at. The premise of the game is that it is a battle between “planeswalkers,” a sort of wizard that can travel between different worlds. Each expansion of Magic has its own unique fantasy storyline that ties together all of the cards within the expansion and provides context for new game play mechanics as well as flavor text and card art. Major characters from the storyline are often represented as “Legendary Creature” or “Planeswalker” cards.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 180px;"><img src="/sites/default/files/u2583/image.jpeg" alt="alesha's card" width="223" height="311" /></p>
<p>Alesha, Who Smiles at Death is a legendary creature released in Fate Reforged, the newest Magic: the Gathering expansion. The set was officially released on January 23 but Alesha’s back story was not released until January 28 in a short story called <a href="http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/uncharted-realms/truth-names-2015-01-28" target="_blank">“The Truth of Names."</a> The card itself provides no hint that Alesha is trans—the art depicts a woman in armor and text reads simply, “Greet death with sword in hand.” But the newly released short story tells the story of how Alesha got her name. Alesha is a member of a group called the Mardu horde, where members earn the right to name themselves after they have proven their strength and prowess in battle. After leading the horde in a skirmish with a dragon, Alesha recalls the day when she earned the right to name herself: “She had been so different—only sixteen, a boy in everyone's eyes but her own, about to choose and declare her name before the khan and all the Mardu.” As the khan announces the chosen name of each warrior who has proven themselves in battle, Alesha nervously waits to tell the khan her name. When she tells him she has chosen Alesha, her grandmother’s name, he announces it to the horde “without a moment’s pause.” She recalls how the horde affirmed her identity when “the warriors of the Mardu shouted <em>her name</em>.” Alesha’s story is one of understanding and claiming one’s true identity; the short story also includes an anecdote about her helping a young orc realize that his own value in battle lies in the way he protects his companions rather than his ability to kill so that he can claim his name.</p>
<p>It’s refreshing that Alesha’s trans identity isn’t her defining trait, but just one aspect of her character. She’s is first and foremost the leader of her group. Alesha’s character shows that Wizards of the Coast is making an effort at creating a more inclusive game. Queer representation has been scant in the Magic universe until very recently, so the creation of a character like Alesha makes a powerful statement. The <a href="http://lasureyadid.com/2015/01/28/queer-representation-in-magic/" target="_blank">introduction of Ashiok</a>, a nonbinary planeswalker from the Theros expansion in 2013 and now the addition of Alesha seems to indicate that Magic’s developers are leaning towards writing more queer characters. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Many Magic players use the mythology and lore of the game and create a more imaginative and immersive gameplay experience. Creating new storylines with more diverse characters will help draw new players to the game by demonstrating that diversity is accepted and encouraged. Breaking down social barriers within the story of Magic will hopefully also help break down similar social barriers within the Magic community. If the stories are more inclusive, it's my hope that the millions of people who play Magic will feel compelled to be more inclusive themselves.</p>
<p>If Alesha marks the beginning of a trend in Magic: the Gathering toward the representation of more well-written and developed LGBTQ characters, the game is taking a big step in the right direction. Incorporating prominent queer characters into Magic’s main storyline may help combat sexist and homophobic gatekeeping within the community. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>Liza Dadoly writes, judges Magic tournaments, and geeks out in Portland, Oregon.</em></p>
<p><em>Related Listening — Liza discussed sexism in Magic: The Gathering on the "<a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/post/popaganda-episode-geek-girls-podcast-doubleclicks-video-games" target="_blank">Geek Girls" episode of Popaganda</a>. Listen below.&nbsp;</em></p>
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http://bitchmagazine.org/post/why-it-matters-that-magic-the-gathering-has-a-transgender-character#commentsgaminggeek cultureLGBTtrans issuesSocial CommentaryMon, 09 Feb 2015 21:53:52 +0000Liza Dadoly30439 at http://bitchmagazine.orgThree LGBT Gamers Talk About Queering Geek Culturehttp://bitchmagazine.org/post/three-lgbt-gamers-talk-about-queering-geek-culture
<p><img src="/sites/default/files/u2583/queer_geeks.jpg" alt="queer geeks in a pride parade" width="670" height="343" /></p>
<p><em>Roll for love: Queer geeks in the 2012 Seattle pride parade. (<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/danbseattle2012/7651536444" target="_blank">Photo by Dan B</a>)</em></p>
<p>In the wake of <a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/post/hate-from-sexist-gamer-bros-cant-stop-the-work-of-feminist-gamers" target="_blank">Gamergate</a>, NPR’s Youth Radio correspondent Rafael Johns, a 19-year-old queer, black person, <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/ed/2014/11/19/364059586/one-gamers-take-on-gamergate">wrote about the systemic toxic everyday language used in gaming culture</a> and the particularly vicious attacks against anyone who dares to point out the ugliness of these assumed norms. Johns had felt marginalized within the larger gaming community and explains how the experience of finding like-minded gamers through social media helped changed the way he thought about the possibilities of community within the culture. He wrote:</p>
<blockquote><p>“I learned I could explore multiple subcultures that included gamers who were also queer and people of color. These were people who played video games and found the constant verbal barrage just as off-putting as I did. I was stunned to find others who believe that the world of gaming should, and can, change. There are people who want to play video games with others who look like them, and act like them, and love like them.”</p></blockquote>
<p>While geek spaces like San Diego Comic-Con International and New York Comic Con provide programming content for LGBTQ individuals (SDCCI “Gays in Comics” panel, organized and moderated by <a href="http://www.andymangels.com/gaysincomicspanels.html" target="_blank">Andy Mangels since 1988</a> is the longest-running annual panel at the con, and <a href="http://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/geek/2014/10/07/everything-lgbt-new-york-comic-con" target="_blank">NYCC had a plethora of offerings</a> at its 2014 convention) newer, smaller geek organizations are providing a more nuanced, niche, focus.</p>
<p>Just to name a few, <a href="http://bent-con.org/about/" target="_blank">BentCon</a>, one of the pre-eminent celebrations of LGBTQ geekdom, recently celebrated its fifth annual convention. QueerGeek! Seattle is a thriving community that combats homophobia, transphobia, and misogyny while promoting diversity and acceptance in geek culture. <a href="http://geeksout.org/mission" target="_blank">Geeks OUT</a> rallies and promotes the queer geek community, and is currently planning&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/geeksout/flame-con-nycs-first-lgbtq-comic-con?ref=card" target="_blank">Flame Con</a>, New York City’s first LGBTQ Comic Con. In Seattle, <a href="geekgirlcon.com" target="_blank">GeekGirlCon</a> is committed to offering programming from an intersectional feminist perspective and <a href="http://geekgirlcon.com/a-day-of-love-and-dancing-the-2014-seattle-pride-parade/" target="_blank">has participated in Seattle’s Pride Parade</a> since the organization’s inception, as well as <a href="http://geekgirlcon.com/geekgirlcon-goes-to-trans-pride-seattle/" target="_blank">Trans* Pride Seattle in 2013.</a></p>
<p>I talked to three notable LGBTQ geek activists about safer spaces, indie opportunities, and the importance of community. First <em>Bitch</em> contributor, editor emeritus of gaming blog <a href="http://borderhouseblog.com/" target="_blank">Border House</a>, and academic <a href="http://quinnae.com">Katherine Cross</a> discusses identity and representation, and recommends games consumers can support. Next, <a href="https://twitter.com/tonitonirocca">Toni Rocca</a>, president of <a href="http://gaymerx.com/" target="_blank">Gaymer X</a>, a San Francisco-based gaming convention, talks con culture, celebration, and support. Then <a href="http://northwestpress.com">Zan Christensen</a>, founder of diverse comics publisher <a href="http://northwestpress.com/" target="_blank">Northwest Press</a>, tells us how fandom and LGBT issues have merged for him, and how he in turns brings that back to the community through panel discussions and publishing opportunities.</p>
<p>Each interview illustrates the changes in geek culture Anita Sarkeesian alluded to when she <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/29/opinion/anita-sarkeesian-on-video-games-great-future.html?_r=0">recently wrote about the evolution of gamers for <em>The New York Times</em></a>, “The time for invisible boundaries that guard the “purity” of gaming as a niche subculture is over… The new reality is that video games are maturing, evolving and becoming more diverse.”</p>
<p><img src="/sites/default/files/u2583/me_at_fundraiser.jpg" alt="katherine cross" width="634" height="514" /></p>
<p><strong>KATHERINE CROSS</strong></p>
<p><em>Writer for Feministing and Bitch, PhD candidate, and former co-editor of gaming blog The Border House.</em></p>
<p><strong>How do spaces like the LGBT-friendly gaming blog Border House subvert concepts regarding a monolithic "gamer identity.” Why are calls for inclusiveness perceived as threatening?&nbsp;</strong>&nbsp;</p>
<p>There's been a lot of wailing and gnashing of teeth lately over what a "gamer" actually is. Is it simply someone who plays games, or does it connote an identity as a committed gaming enthusiast who has every console, games a ton, and knows all the trivia? And what does a gamer look like? Historically, the sense has been that gamers are mostly young white, heterosexual, cis men, and that anyone not fitting those identity categories is only acceptable if they submit to games that are not made with them in mind. Border House was part of a larger wave driven by the rise of internet subcultures that provided people with communities and discourses that challenged that notion, putting people in touch with one another who liked games but were tired of harassment, or who wanted to see more diverse characters and stories, and so on.</p>
<p>Let me be clear, women, people of color, and queer gamers have <em>always </em>been a part of the gaming world at every level. What's changed is that the internet has given us a thousand ways to make our unfiltered voices heard as never before.</p>
<p>And that is, I think, why "inclusiveness" as a concept is so threatening to some white male gamers because historically their definition of "gamer" and the entitlement that goes with it is that <em>they and they alone</em> are the special, anointed class of consumers who should be catered to, listened to, and even admired. The old magazine gaming press, which was directly beholden to, or even <em>owned outright</em>&nbsp;by industry organs is no longer the epicenter of tastemaking in gaming. And for young women or poor people or folks of color who want to get into game design, they no longer have to submit to that vision, they no longer have to do the things the way they've always been done, they no longer have to whitewash characters or submit to the whims of marketers who'll only promote male lead characters.</p>
<p><strong>What interventions do you see gaymers and queer geeks making in geek culture by combining their geek and LGBTQ identities?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>I think simply making ourselves heard and ensuring that we're recognized and accepted as gamers is important all on its own. But I also think that some incredibly queer, and especially trans women game developers have been making games that unapologetically portray things like sexuality, queer romance, or trans existence in ways that would be passively censored in mainstream game design. They are telling the untold story, much as the new wave of trans women's literature is telling stories about our lives that were unsayable in the past. Merritt Kopas' games challenge mechanical conventions (win by hugging!), Mattie Brice's <em>Mainichi</em> lent voice to her own experience as a trans woman of colour, Christine Love's games combine queerness and an unapologetic feminism for pathbreaking sci-fi, and the list goes on.</p>
<p>What they give to the world of gaming is new ways of playing, and new ways of telling stories. Bear in mind too, we're not a separate class of people bringing in this essentialised "LGBTQ experience"—we're also women, we're also people of color (I'm Puerto Rican), many of us have disabilities. There are a lot of conversations we're adding to, including feminism as a whole. Intersectionality goes both ways, as I like to say. I'm a trans woman with something to say about being a woman, et cetera.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>You've </strong><strong><a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/article/game-changer">written about being antagonized for writing about transgender life</a> in online gaming and for "bringing politics" into gaming culture</strong><strong>. Like other women using their voices in public spaces you've been subjected to threats of physical danger. But what is the danger of NOT expanding or complicating our conversations about representation? And what advice do you have for negotiating the balance between speaking up and self-care?&nbsp;</strong>&nbsp;</p>
<p>People have this deeply troubling idea that culture, or fiefdoms of culture like "art," advance on their own as if they are an organic morass of vines growing of their own volition. But culture is made up of people and of our own participation. Nothing will change if we say nothing, nothing will get better if we eschew criticism. Denying yourself subjects or stories due to half-baked prejudices stultifies art and, ultimately, those who consume it. Those of us who love video games and believe in their potential owe it to ourselves to keep improving this medium. Diversification is a means to that end: the more new mechanics we explore, the more new stories, the more new characters, the more new players we attract, the better.</p>
<p>As to negotiating the self-care balance, I wish I had an easy answer. It <em>is</em>&nbsp;important that you remember no one can take on these issues alone. So much in our culture valorizes the individual hero above all else and activists feel that pressure too, but we must bear in mind that change is a collective process. If you take care of yourself, the world won't end; that's why everyone else is involved, they pick up the slack. As a scholar and writer I feel this urge to write about every plethora of painful subjects that the news delivers to my door, or that I personally experience, but I know if I sit one out and take care of myself, someone else will say what needs to be said. Remembering that is how I force myself to take breaks. I also take solace in community, by reaching out to my networks for support and being supportive in turn; that makes all the difference for me.</p>
<p><strong>Raising cultural consciousness through critique and advocating for media literacy are but two steps to social change. Voting with your dollars is often cited as another. To that end, are there games or companies you recommend we support that are committed to LGBTQ representation?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>Oh, so many to list. Samantha Kalman's <em>Sentris</em>, a musical puzzle game, Christine Love's "Love Conquers All" studio (gotta love the pun!), Posthuman Studios—makers of the great PnP RPG <em>Eclipse Phase</em>, Monte Cook Games' <em>The Strange </em>and <em>Numenera</em>, Harebrained Schemes <em>Shadowrun </em>games, Paizo's <em>Pathfinder RPG</em>&nbsp;has been on a roll with including trans women characters of late (good ones!), any and everything by Merritt Kopas, Red Thread Games (run by the same people who made <em>The Longest Journey</em>— they're making a sequel as speak), Apocalypse World—an impressive RPG system that's very gender inclusive, Brianna Wu's company <a href="http://www.revolution60.com" target="_blank">Giant Spacekat</a>, which just launched a new project, and of course, <a href="http://fullbright.company/gonehome/" target="_blank">The Fullbright Company and their instant classic <em>Gone Home</em></a>.</p>
<p>&nbsp;<img src="/sites/default/files/u2583/naismza.png" alt="TONI ROCCA" width="345" height="345" /></p>
<p><strong>TONI ROCCA</strong></p>
<p><em>President of queer-friendly gaming convention&nbsp;<a href="http://gaymerx.com">GaymerX</a>.</em></p>
<p><strong>Can you tell us about the origins, mission, and evolution of GaymerX? What are some of the most pressing issues in gaming culture for LGBTQ folks?</strong></p>
<p>GaymerX was originally started by Matt Conn and began as a dream of a small gay gamer get-together and exploded into something much bigger. Now it has become a large hub for the discussion of issues LGBT/Queer folks, women, and other marginalized groups have faced in the world of gaming while also being a place to celebrate our progresses and creations.</p>
<p>Most games from major <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AAA_(game_industry)" target="_blank">AAA</a> publishers do not contain much, if any, queer content or characters. In fact most adhere very strictly to being a straight, white male who seeks to rescue or in some other way conquest a desired woman. "Queer coding" is a trope where someone is made to look and/or act visibly queer in order to evoke distrust, disgust, or simply dislike for a character. While several wonderful queer indies such as Anna Anthropy, Mattie Brice, Robert Yang, Merritt Kopas, and Todd Harper have managed to make insightful games about queer experiences, the AAA scene has only managed to give us BioWare titles and a handful of gems such as <em>The Last of Us</em>. And while I'm looking to romance The Iron Bull in <a href="http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/game-features-gay-sex-trans-people-bdsm-and-already-bestseller261114" target="_blank"><em>Dragon Age: Inquisition</em></a>, because he's tall, I wish I could have some sort of excitement towards other AAA titles instead of awkward trepidation for the inevitable "this is not for you" scenes. &nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>At </strong><strong>GeekGirlCon this year,&nbsp;<a href="http://geekgirlcon.com/kicking-off-the-con-anita-sarkeesian/" target="_blank">Anita Sarkeesian talked about "safer spaces.</a>"</strong><strong>&nbsp;GaymerX was founded to be just that. What constitutes a "safe space" for queer geeks?&nbsp;</strong>&nbsp;</p>
<p>I really do love the term "safer spaces" over "safe spaces" despite it being minor semantics. I just find myself not a big fan of finality or ever deciding your work is over. Rather, I love finding ways to improve your practices and change them. I think of the con as being a living, breathing thing comprised of mainly the volunteers and attendees and I think every year it grows and becomes more beautiful.&nbsp;</p>
<p>For us a safe space is a little hazy. It's not about not saying certain words or not assuming gender, but it is to a degree. Mainly, I think the thing that makes it a safer space first and foremost is that the staff, volunteers, and attendees agree together to make the space as accommodating as possible to others and to work and change in order to meet that goal. It isn't that someone gets scolded for saying a no-no, but rather that we talk it over, learn what went wrong, and bond over that. I think that's where most of the "magic" people kept talking about came from. We treat it as a rare space that's 100 percent ours and we take care of it and each other. I think that's why we outgrew the "gaymer" label so quickly. Nobody needs to ID-check their sexuality at the door. This is a queer space and a safe space and that is what matters.</p>
<p><strong>We've seen, especially recently, how gaming culture is hostile to women. In what ways can it be unwelcoming, uninviting, or outright hostile to LGBTQ identities? How do Gaymers defy the stereotypes of the straight, white, male gamer?&nbsp;</strong>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Obviously there's nothing wrong with being straight, white, and/or male, but the idea that this is the only kind of person that does or should play games is ridiculous. However, I think that this recent backlash (GamerGate) against "the other" in gaming is just kind of the last death throes of that idea being accepted.&nbsp;</p>
<p>I am borrowing a little from the words of Colleen Macklin, a guest of honor at GX2 and a wonderful person, but I think that everyone has their own ways of queering the media that they interact with. As abstract an analogy as it is even doing speed-runs of games is a form of "queering" or changing the way a game is meant to be used.&nbsp;People of different perspectives will often want different things from their media and with games being as interactive as they are, we get to see them being used in completely new ways. That's what's really magical about this and why it's valuable to encourage everyone to play.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Do you think indie games and alternative spaces offer enough? What are ways for LGBTQ geeks to make interventions in the dominant culture? How can allies best help?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>Well, I know there are a lot of people who feel "indie games are enough." I won't for a moment say these aren't beautiful and powerful.&nbsp; However, with the way capitalist markets work, sadly, these are not the games with million dollar marketing budgets. So, yeah maybe a AAA company won't or can't make a very good queer character, but that's not really enough. The mainstream has to start being held to these standards. Think about it. Just WHY does everyone settle for less from a multi-million dollar budget $60 title? Those queer people who can write beautiful stories are out there, and most of them can be hired.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Allies need to become aware of these things. Even if you ARE being represented&nbsp;in games, as a straight white man, then you should question that. One of the magical things about games is that it can put you in the shoes of someone else, and macho power fantasies have distracted the mainstream from exploring that. Talk to queer folk and learn how they feel, play games that DON'T represent you and see how that feels. Look things up online, learn, listen, and don't argue if you are called out on something—instead, look at it as an opportunity to learn more.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;<img src="/sites/default/files/u2583/zan_by_adrian_sotomayor.jpeg" alt="ZAN LYING on a pile of comics" width="640" height="326" /></p>
<p><strong>ZAN CHRISTENSEN</strong></p>
<p><em>Founder of <a href="http://northwestpress.com">Northwest Press</a>, comics writer, and founding president of <a href="http://prismcomics.org/" target="_blank">Prism Comics</a>, a nonprofit that promotes LGBT comics creators. (photo by Adrian Sotomayor)&nbsp;</em></p>
<p><strong>You've been active in gay geek culture and pop culture conventions for over 15 years. Can you tell us how you got involved in LGBTQ panel discussions and with Prism Comics?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>I came to LGBT comics stuff through fandom. At first, my focus was almost exclusively superhero comics and characters, and I found a great group online called the Gay League to socialize and chat with other queer folks. LGBT folks are often the minority in general fan circles and I often felt self-conscious being "out," so I really enjoyed the freedom I felt to be myself <em>and </em>a fan at the same time. My involvement with the <a href="http://www.gayleague.com" target="_blank">Gay League</a> led to working on an annual resource guide to queer comics, <em>Out in Comics</em>, helmed by <a href="http://www.andymangels.com" target="_blank">Andy Mangels</a>. That later led me to be the founding president of <a href="http://prismcomics.org" target="_blank">Prism Comics</a>, which has been working to support LGBT comics creators for over ten years now.</p>
<p>One great thing Prism has done over the years is dramatically increase the level of programming at Comic-Cons addressing queer content and creators. I've always been a big fan of queer comics discussion panels; these are the bigger, flashier version of the conversations we have, as queer fans, all the time. They range from the seemingly silly, like discussions about costumes and "who wore it best", to the profound, like how to push queer visibility and honest storytelling up from the indies into mainstream comics.</p>
<p><strong>What led you to found Northwest Press? What kinds of conversations do you hope your titles will promote?</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;One of the questions that Prism Comics was asked, over and over, was, "Will you publish my comic?" Prism, of course, is not a publisher but a support organization for creators—offering table space at conventions, grants, online articles and features, and the like—so I always had to turn people away, and didn't even know where to send them.&nbsp;</p>
<p>I was inspired to start a publishing company when my friend Jon Macy, who'd also volunteered with Prism for years, was unable to find a publisher for the erotic graphic novel project he'd been working on for years, <em>Teleny and Camille</em>. This is an important book that gives readers a glimpse into the Victorian world at the dawn of what would become the modern gay community, and it was unthinkable that it wouldn't be published and promoted in a meaningful way.</p>
<p>So Northwest Press came into existence so I could publish work that I wanted to read, and thought it was important for others to read. That's pretty much the only criterion I look for in submissions. Of course, what<em> </em>I want to read is what's too often missing from comics: stories where women aren't relegated to supporting the men, where complex, honest queer characters are center stage, and where we explore sexuality and gender with candor.&nbsp;</p>
<p>I find that I'm much less concerned with identity politics and representation of groups and a lot more interested in the messy complexities of individual lives. Those are the conversations that I really love, these days. Editing the anthology <a href="http://northwestpress.com/shop/anything-that-loves/" target="_blank"><em>Anything That Loves</em></a>, which was a collection of comics beyond "gay" and "straight," really solidified my desire to dig deeper and break down the barriers between us. It's politically and practically useful to have labels like "gay," "bisexual," "transgender," "man," "woman," "black," "white," but when we get down to the human level and are discovering another human being—whether through in person or through a comics story—we need to see them as more than their categories and labels. There is so much to learn from different points of view, and the comics world is denied great stories when the vast majority all come from people who look the same.</p>
<p><strong>You recently </strong><a href="http://northwestpress.com/2014/10/01/why-am-i-in-love-with-bent-con/" target="_blank"><strong>wrote a love-letter to BentCon</strong></a><strong>—a relatively new, grassroots, convention in the Los Angeles area—and said that even though over the years other events have developed a stronger LGBTQ presence, BentCon is the first space where you've felt truly able to breathe.</strong></p>
<p>My experience at Bent-Con and the queer spaces at Comic-Con are similar to what I experienced with the Gay League, years ago: losing that self-consciousness and being able to totally immerse into the fandom I love. I've been a longtime supporter not just of Bent-Con, but also GeekGirlCon because I want everyone to have their own version of that experience, to be themselves, geek out, and have a good time!</p>
<p>And we take that feeling back with us to the general-audience shows. It makes us more courageous and open, and we expect better. There's no question that conventions have made great strides in being more welcoming to all over the years, and that's because people stood up and demanded it. I think these community-focused shows have really helped speed that process up.</p>
<p><em>Related Reading: <a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/post/the-history-of-women-in-geek-culture-should-not-be-overlooked" target="_blank">The History of Women in Geek Culture Should Not Be Overlooked.</a>&nbsp;</em></p>
<p><em>Jennifer K. Stuller is an </em><a href="http://www.ink-stainedamazon.com/" target="_blank"><em>Ink-Stained Amazon</em></a><em>, a co-founder of&nbsp;</em><a href="http://geekgirlcon.com/" target="_blank"><em>Geek Girl Con</em></a><em>, and was sorted into House Ravenclaw. Her feature “Leveling Up: Geek Woman Are Connecting Like Never Before” can be read in </em><a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/issue/65" target="_blank">Bitch<em>’s (Re)Vision issue</em></a><em>.&nbsp;</em></p>
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http://bitchmagazine.org/post/three-lgbt-gamers-talk-about-queering-geek-culture#commentsgaminggeek culturegeek girl conSocial CommentaryWed, 10 Dec 2014 01:28:01 +0000Jennifer K. Stuller29566 at http://bitchmagazine.orgThe History of Women in Geek Culture Should Not Be Overlookedhttp://bitchmagazine.org/post/the-history-of-women-in-geek-culture-should-not-be-overlooked
<p><img src="/sites/default/files/u2583/doubleclicks_geek_girls.png" alt="a girl holding up a sign &quot;Boys tell me that I'm not a real gamer.&quot;" width="670" height="366" /><em></em></p>
<p><em>Gamer Dominique Villanueva in still from the The Doubleclick's music video<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4Rjy5yW1gQ" target="_blank"> "Nothing to Prove."</a></em>&nbsp;</p>
<p>There is a strange and pervasive cultural myth that <a href="http://theunicornfiles.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">geek girls are like unicorns</a>—we’re rare and mythical creatures who can’t possibly be real. This anxiety over gender is deeply tied to nerds’ concerns about the mainstreaming of geekdom.</p>
<p>Combative male gatekeepers to geekdom—from <a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/post/dont-be-a-dick-how-to-sell-comics-to-people-other-than-straight-dudes" target="_blank">comic book store employees</a> to <a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/post/meet-the-awesome-league-of-female-magic-the-gathering-players" target="_blank">Magic: The Gathering judges</a> to <a href="http://www.xojane.com/it-happened-to-me/marinaomi-harassed-comics-panel" target="_blank">Comic Con panelists</a> to video game developers—have a history of marginalizing, challenging, and harassing perceived interlopers. The (mostly) straight, white, male people police geek culture <a href="http://feminspire.com/idiot-nerd-girl-has-a-posse-taking-back-the-meme/" target="_blank">using concepts like “geek cred”</a> (having an impossibly detailed knowledge of a fandom’s minutia), claims that girls are <a href="http://feministing.com/2014/11/13/scrutiny-some-thoughts-about-thick-skin/?utm_content=bufferedf57&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=facebook.com&amp;utm_campaign=buffer" target="_blank">thin-skinned</a> princesses who can’t handle the culture, and implications that female nerds are either only tagging along with their boyfriends or trying to sleep their way to success. A few years ago, the idea spread that “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UohmGU-Gng" target="_blank">Fake Geek Girls</a>” are only latching on to current trends in popular culture to be seen as cool.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 120px;"><img src="/sites/default/files/u2583/geekgirl_meme.png" alt="a geeky girl says 'Hasn't read all 700 issues of batman... neither have you.&quot;" width="377" height="377" /></p>
<p style="padding-left: 120px;"><em>Geek girl meme by <a href="http://racheledidin.com/" target="_blank">Rachel Edinin</a>.&nbsp;</em></p>
<p>What’s ironic about all this is that while television, film,&nbsp;video games, the comic books industry continues to mostly cater to presumed male audiences—across media, female creators and storylines with women at their center are the exception to the rule—women make up at least half of people who spend money on geeky media and events.</p>
<p>For example, take gaming. While many video games exhibit rampant misogyny and playable main female characters are rare, an estimated <a href="http://www.theesa.com/facts/gameplayer.asp" target="_blank">48 percent of gamers are female</a>. There are <a href="http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2014/08/25/study-adult-women-gamers-outnumber-teenage-boys" target="_blank">significantly more adult women playing video games</a> than there are teenage boys. The videos in Felicia Day’s gamer-centric web series <em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/watchtheguild" target="_blank">The Guild</a></em> have been viewed more than 89 million times altogether. But in the mainstream cultural consciousness, video games are still seen as the domain of teen boys.</p>
<p>One place where geeky people actually turn up IRL and confound notions of what nerds look like is at conventions. This past year, website <a href="http://www.nerdist.com/2014/07/women-totally-dominated-this-years-san-diego-comic-con-international/" target="_blank">The Nerdist declared that</a> “Women Totally Dominated This Year’s San Diego Comic-Con International 2014.” Also this year, <a href="http://www.themarysue.com/emerald-city-gender-survey/" target="_blank">women were the majority</a> of attendees at Seattle's Emerald City Comicon. At least, that’s&nbsp;<a href="http://emeraldcitycomicon.tumblr.com/post/85161983740/as-you-may-remember-we-asked-emerald-city-comicon" target="_blank">according to a post-con survey</a> conducted by the con’s organizers.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><img src="/sites/default/files/u2583/graph.png" alt="a chart showing that 52 percent of emerald city comicon atendees were women" width="573" height="440" /></p>
<p>Without cataloging the preferred gender identification of every pass-buyer, and knowing that the number of respondents likely represents but a small segment of Emerald City's&nbsp;<a href="http://emeraldcitycomicon.tumblr.com/post/85726727490/i-was-just-wondering-if-you-had-the-total-number-of" target="_blank">70,000 attendees</a>, we can’t necessarily assume that there were in fact, more geek girls than fanboys at the con, only that women might be more likely to take surveys. As <a href="http://www.themarysue.com/emerald-city-gender-survey/" target="_blank">The Mary Sue</a> rightly noted, “All that this graphic <em>might </em>mean is that the&nbsp;folks who actually <em>care</em> enough about ECCC to want to help make it better were majority women.” That might be true—women certainly have more incentive to give feedback on <a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/post/as-anita-sarkeesian-shows-online-harassment-is-now-a-life-and-death-issue" target="_blank">how to make geek spaces more inclusive</a>.</p>
<p>All this shows that women are not only geeky—we’re invested in geekdom. It’s part of our identity and millions of women are working to make that culture better. At the fourth annual <a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/post/nerds-unite-at-seattles-geek-girl-con-photos" target="_blank">GeekGirlCon ’14</a> in October, over 7,000 Trekkies, Trekkers, Jedi Knights, Twi-hards, Bronies, Whovians, Browncoats, Steampunks, Sherlockians, X-Philes, Saltgunners, Scoobies, Potterheads, and even some Muggles turned out to an event that explicitly says “no ‘geek cred’ is required” to be part of the celebration, or the community. &nbsp;</p>
<p>To get another picture of the huge part women play in geekdom, look at the results of fan-ticketing service Eventbrite’s recent online survey of 2,600 convention ticket-buyers. The gender split of fans was nearly equal overall and for respondents under 30 (about 45 percent of the sample), <a href="http://blog.eventbrite.com/fan-conventions-behind-the-mask/" target="_blank">the split was exactly even at 50/50.</a></p>
<p style="padding-left: 60px;"><img src="/sites/default/files/u2583/con_chart.png" alt="a chart shows that gender for eventrbrite ticketed events is nearly equal" width="538" height="589" /></p>
<p>To that last point, generational factors seem to make a difference in who relates to the culture, and how the culture functions within communities. At <a href="http://www.dailydot.com/opinion/growing-generation-gap-changing-face-fandom/" target="_blank">The Daily Dot</a>, Gavia Baker-Whitelaw recounted her experience of two conventions this past Summer in London, England: <a href="https://nineworlds.co.uk" target="_blank">Nine Worlds</a>, a relatively new event, and <a href="http://www.worldcon.org" target="_blank">Worldcon</a>, an event in its 72nd year. According to Baker-Whitelaw, “Nine Worlds was smaller, younger, and catered to a more varied crowd including comics, TV, and fanfic followers” and that Worldcon, while a cultural institution, had a core demographic of older members who seemed out of touch with the interests and concerns of younger geek communities. She noted that while the programming organizers at Worldcon made conscientious efforts to embrace diversity, “older fans who came up through pre-Internet fandom... often considered themselves superior to the newcomers.” Nine Worlds, on the other hand, went above and beyond to make sure all attendees felt welcome and safe, distributing badges with preferred gender pronouns and making their code of conduct visible. Additionally, Nine Worlds has a robust <a href="https://nineworlds.co.uk/2014/track/geek-feminism" target="_blank">Geek Feminism track</a> that includes panels on feminist geek activism, geeky crafting as a political act, sex work in the works of Joss Whedon, and ways to get more women into creative industry job positions.</p>
<p>Newer cons ensure continued success by embracing a wide array of geekery and fandoms that to cater to emerging, youthful, geek audiences <a href="http://boingboing.net/2014/10/21/geek-girl-con-is-an-oasis-of-a.html" target="_blank">through mission-based tone, mood, and environment.</a></p>
<p><a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/post/geek-culture-a-new-hope" target="_blank">As geek culture evolves</a>, and women become more visible members of the community, it’s tempting to assume that geek girls’ surging numbers are simply the result of the mainstreaming of geekdom. But fangirls have been around just as long as fanboys, playing Pac-Man, <a href="http://fanlore.org/wiki/Skywalker_(zine)" target="_blank">contributing to and editing fan magazines</a>, <a href="http://www.smartpopbooks.com/book/fic" target="_blank">writing fan fiction</a>, <a href="http://fanlore.org/wiki/Luminosity">vidding</a>, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDj5wRbgf8A" target="_blank">cosplaying</a>.</p>
<p>Long before GeekGirlCon or Nine Worlds, girl geeks were organizers of early fan gatherings, fan-based initiatives, alternative media-making, and indie publishing opportunities. <a href="http://www.startrek.com/article/bjo-trimble-the-woman-who-saved-star-trek-part-1" target="_blank">Bjo Trimble</a> spearheaded a letter writing campaign with her husband, John, in 1968 to save the original <em>Star Trek</em> series from cancellation—resulting in a third and final season for the classic franchise. <a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/post/adventures-in-feministory-women-comics-of-the-70s-and-80s" target="_blank">The Wimmen’s Comix collective</a> was formed in the 1970s as a response to sexism and misogyny in the underground<span style="color: #008000;">&nbsp;</span>comix movement. <a href="http://www.wiscon.info/about.php" target="_blank">WisCon</a>, the first and foremost feminist science fiction convention in the world, held its inaugural con in 1977 and will be convening their 39<sup>th</sup> event in 2015. Some of these geeky foremothers were honored at Geek Girl Con this year:&nbsp;Seattle-based radio producer Jamala Henderson organized and moderated <a href="http://geekgirlcon.com/geek-elders-speak-the-recap/" target="_blank">a panel on Geek Elders</a><span style="color: #008000;">,&nbsp;</span>introducing audience members to four women involved in 1970s and 80s <em>Star Trek</em> and <em>Star Wars</em> fan communities. Women have been integral to building<span style="color: #008000;">&nbsp;geek c</span>ommunities—history that should not be forgotten or overlooked.</p>
<hr />
<p><em>Here is a not-at-all comprehensive list of where to find geek women bypassing the constraints of traditional media (and often sexist institutions) to both direct the&nbsp;conversation, create communities, and&nbsp;influence geek culture. Although they're now defunct, I should note that organizations like&nbsp;<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friends_of_Lulu" target="_blank">Friends of Lulu</a>&nbsp;(1994-2011) and&nbsp;<a href="http://girl-wonder.org" target="_blank">Girl-Wonder.org</a>&nbsp;(2006-2013) were essential advocates that promoted and encouraged female readership and participation.</em></p>
<p><strong>GEEK GIRL RESOURCES:</strong></p>
<p>•&nbsp;<a href="http://blackgirlnerds.com">Black Girl Nerds</a> - A site about being a nerdy black girl and why we love it so much.</p>
<p>•&nbsp;<a href="http://geekgirlcon.com">GeekGirlCon</a> - A nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting awareness of and celebrating the contribution and involvement of women in all aspects of the sciences, science fiction, comics, gaming and related Geek culture through conventions and events that emphasize both historic and ongoing contribution and influence of women in this culture.</p>
<p>•&nbsp;<a href="http://eschergirls.tumblr.com">Escher Girls</a> - A blog to archive and showcase the prevalence of certain ways women are depicted in illustrated pop media, specifically how women are posed, drawn, distorted, and/or sexualized out of context, often in ridiculous, impossible or disturbing ways that sacrifice storytelling.</p>
<p>•&nbsp;<a href="http://legionofleia.com">Legion of Leia</a> – Has a mission to raise awareness of the fact that women love sci-fi.</p>
<p>•&nbsp;<a href="http://theunicornfiles.tumblr.com">The Unicorn Files</a> – A photojournalism project to show that female geeks exist, and are a wide and diverse group.</p>
<p>•&nbsp;<a href="http://www.geekquality.com">Geekquality</a> – A project standing at the intersection of fandom and media criticism, with the goal of celebrating and encouraging diversity within the geek zeitgeist.</p>
<p>•&nbsp;<a href="http://www.themarysue.com">The Mary Sue</a> - Promotes, watches, extolls, and celebrates women’s representation in all of areas of geekdom and works to make geekdom safe and open for women.</p>
<p>•&nbsp;<a href="http://bewarethevalkyries.com">The Valkyries</a> – A collective of women who work in comic book retail, providing a network of support, as well as promoting female-friendly spaces and female-friendly comic book works.&nbsp;</p>
<p>•&nbsp;<a href="http://www.womeninhorrormonth.com">Women in Horror Month</a> - Women in Horror Recognition Month (WiHM) assists female genre artists in gaining opportunities, exposure, and education through altruistic events, printed material, articles, interviews, and online support.</p>
<p>•&nbsp;<a href="http://www.graveyardshiftsisters.com" target="_blank">Graveyard Shift Sisters</a> – A space to highlight and celebrate the experiences and achievements of Black women and women of color in the horror (and science fiction) genre.&nbsp;</p>
<p>•&nbsp;<a href="http://geekmom.com" target="_blank">Geek Mom</a> – A community of writers, readers, and media geeks, dedicated to the vision of creating a smart, savvy, social online experience for geek parents everywhere.</p>
<p>•&nbsp;<a href="http://parentinggeekly.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Parenting Geekly</a> – A place for geeky parents to find product reviews, technology and media guides, and advice, all with a nerdy twist.</p>
<p>•&nbsp;<a href="http://borderhouseblog.com" target="_blank">Border House</a> – A gaming blog with feminist analysis for those who are feminist, queer, disabled, people of color, transgender, poor, gay, lesbian, and others who belong to marginalized groups, as well as allies.</p>
<p>•&nbsp;<a href="http://wearecomics.tumblr.com" target="_blank">We are Comics</a> - A campaign to show—and celebrate—the faces of creators, publishers, retailers, readers; professionals and fans in the comics community. Has a mission to promote the visibility of marginalized members of our population; and to stand in solidarity against harassment and abuse.</p>
<hr />
<p><em>Related Reading: <a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/post/geek-culture-a-new-hope" target="_blank">Geek Culture — A New Hope.&nbsp;</a></em></p>
<p><em>In the next article in this three-part series, we look at how LGBTQ communities are influencing geek culture!</em></p>
<p><em>Jennifer K. Stuller is an </em><a href="http://www.ink-stainedamazon.com/"><em>Ink-Stained Amazon</em></a><em>, a co-founder of&nbsp;</em><a href="http://geekgirlcon.com/"><em>Geek Girl Con</em></a><em>, and was sorted into House Ravenclaw. Her feature “Leveling Up: Geek Woman Are Connecting Like Never Before” can be read in </em><a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/issue/65">Bitch<em>’s upcoming (Re)Vision issue</em></a><em>.&nbsp;</em></p>
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http://bitchmagazine.org/post/the-history-of-women-in-geek-culture-should-not-be-overlooked#commentscomicsgaminggeek girl congeeksSocial CommentaryWed, 19 Nov 2014 21:59:50 +0000Jennifer K. Stuller29211 at http://bitchmagazine.orgGeek Culture: A New Hopehttp://bitchmagazine.org/post/geek-culture-a-new-hope
<p><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5616/15336592108_e389691263_b.jpg" alt="four people cosplaying as punk sailor moon warriors at geek girl con" width="670" height="590" /></p>
<p><em>Despite all the recent harassment, many people and groups are successfully changing the image of geek culture—including these "punk senshi" cosplayers at <a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/post/nerds-unite-at-seattles-geek-girl-con-photos" target="_blank">Geek Girl Con</a>. (<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mirkmirk/15336592108/in/set-72157648300676639" target="_blank">photo by Sarah Mirk</a>)</em></p>
<p>A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away... geeks and nerds were relentlessly mocked and bullied. So they found communities through zines and the early internet and congregated in comic book stores and arcades—spaces where they could feel sheltered from the cruel taunts of jocks and buoyed by like-minded obsessives. Occasionally, they were reported on with bemusement by local news correspondents, who attempted to comment on the costuming, devotion, and tribal behavior of True Believers, Jedi Knights, and Trekkies. Those gathering in lines for the release of <em>Star Wars: The Phantom Menace</em> or pilgrimaging from afar to the Geek Mecca of San Diego Comic-Con International were oddities to the general public, and therefore newsworthy.</p>
<p>There was an assumption that nerds were sexless, socially awkward basement dwellers—always male, always desperate for female attention (and thus implicitly heterosexual). They were just like the proverbial Comic Book Guy of <em>The Simpsons</em>, a character whose very name embodies a stereotype.</p>
<p><img src="/sites/default/files/u2583/diggs_90.jpg" alt="comic book guy and other characters on the simpsons cosplaying" width="670" height="367" /></p>
<p>But that’s all changed in the past decade. As geek culture and nerd enthusiasms have seeped into the American cultural consciousness—and their buying power has become clear to marketers—people who may not have felt able to claim geek identity are able to be more open with their passions. The ubiquitous geekery of comics, games, and videos has brought more people than ever into the fold and made “nerdy” mainstream. &nbsp;</p>
<p>Some geeks don’t like it—and they’ve let it be known with harassment and intimidation, mostly of women by men, in gaming, comics, skeptic, and tech communities. It’s time for people who are grasping onto their privilege like the One Ring to understand the fact that geek culture is evolving for the better.</p>
<p>On <em>Parks and Rec</em>, Ben Wyatt gets it right:</p>
<p><img src="/sites/default/files/u2583/untitled.png" alt="Ben on Parks and Rec saying &quot;nerd culture is mainstream now.&quot;" width="670" height="300" /></p>
<p><em>&nbsp;</em></p>
<p>One has to wonder: were the darling-bootied, fan-fic writing, <a href="http://www.vulture.com/2013/12/cones-of-dunshire-parks-and-recreation-game-oral-history.html" target="_blank">board game-designing</a>, arm candy of one Ms. Leslie Knope a real person instead of a television character, would he receive an avalanche of daily gendered terrorism a la <a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/post/as-anita-sarkeesian-shows-online-harassment-is-now-a-life-and-death-issue" target="_blank">Anita Sarkeesian</a> for being a geek? &nbsp;</p>
<p>Or, as with other nerd dude icons widely recognized in American culture who have dared to comment on geek issues, including sexism and misogyny within geek culture (<a href="http://www.themarysue.com/joss-whedon-tweets-about-anita-sarkeesian/" target="_blank">Joss Whedon</a>, Wil Wheaton, Seth Rogen, Neil Gaiman, Chris Kluwe, Patton Oswalt, <a href="http://ruckawriter.tumblr.com/post/83527917580/contents-under-pressure" target="_blank">Greg Rucka</a>, <a href="http://whatever.scalzi.com/2013/07/05/convention-harassment-policy-follow-up/" target="_blank">John Scalzi</a>, <a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/post/watch-anita-sarkeesian-on-the-colbert-report" target="_blank">Stephen Colbert</a>) would he largely be ignored?</p>
<p>Likely.</p>
<p>When Patton Oswalt <a href="http://www.wired.com/2010/12/ff_angrynerd_geekculture/all/" target="_blank">lamented the mainstreaming of geekdom in a 2010 article for <em>Wired</em></a>, claiming its unprecedented accessibility changed the geek experience by making narratives and ephemera available to everyone and anyone at any time, suggesting that geek culture needed to die in order to be built anew, the Interwebs lost their shit. But while people were put-out, grumbly, and occasionally even combative, the response to Oswalt’s “get off my lawn”-esque feature seemed to refrain from the same level of sexual threats and stalking faced by women like Leigh Alexander, for example, who was showered with violent threats this year following her <a href="http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/224400/Gamers_dont_have_to_be_your_audience_Gamers_are_over.php" target="_blank">Gamasutra article on ‘gamers’ being over</a>. (Or, perhaps Oswalt didn’t make any hate he received public. Regardless,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bitchmedia.org/post/one-in-four-young-female-internet-users-is-stalked-online" target="_blank">evidence suggests online harassment is gendered in execution</a>, so while Oswalt may have been insulted it’s unlikely he was sexually harassed for his opinions.)</p>
<p>What’s underlying the recent outburst of hatred is the fact that culture <em>is </em>changing. New communities of nerdy people are changing what it means to be a nerd, and so what we’re looking at in this cultural moment is not the death of the geek, but the death of a stereotype. People who’ve historically not been seen as geeks—people who are not straight, white males—are building communities online and IRL to connect genre preferences with identity politics. Think: <a href="http://www.blerdnation.com/about" target="_blank">Blerds</a> or <a href="http://www.gaymerx.com/" target="_blank">Gaymers</a>.</p>
<p>Even Comic Book Guy has a cousin—Comic Book Gay, introduced briefly in a 2011 episode of <em>The Simpsons</em>.</p>
<p><img src="/sites/default/files/u2583/comic_book_guy.png" alt="comic book guy" width="280" height="311" /><img src="/sites/default/files/u2583/comic_book_gay.png" alt="comic book gay" width="260" height="311" /></p>
<p>There’s a lot to celebrate about these changes. But in the midst of the death threats, promises of sexual violence, disturbing and puerile chatter, attempts to destroy finances and/or careers, and daily acts of gendered terrorism and other criminality, it’s understandable, as <a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/post/as-anita-sarkeesian-shows-online-harassment-is-now-a-life-and-death-issue" target="_blank"><em>Bitch</em>’s own Sarah wrote last month</a>, to feel “like curling up in a ball.” But Mirk also noted that even as “Geek culture is currently getting a very bad rap from men who get off on threatening women... thousands of other people are determined to not let exclusion and male domination define the culture they hold dear.”</p>
<p>There <em>are</em> allied and growing intersecting communities of forward-thinking nerds using social media, performance, costuming, crowd-funding, and fandom to nurture supportive, activist, and celebratory spaces. Go ahead and call them “Social Justice Warriors” (the term, intended as a pejorative, has been <a href="http://www.themarysue.com/social-justice-pins/" target="_blank">embraced</a>). With new spaces, these Social Justice Warriors are helping inclusive and intersectional geek culture flourish.</p>
<p>It’s in this spirit that, while battling the demons and the forces of darkness seething from the depths of geekdom’s personal Hellmouth, I think we should also make sure to take time to reinforce the more positive initiatives, interventions, and movements facilitated by open-minded geeks. It’s important to recognize people who are making our geeky world better—one nerdy act at a time.</p>
<p>So in the first of a series of three articles for <em>Bitch</em> celebrating the positive parts of geek culture, I’ll start by celebrating Geektivists—individuals, organizations, and communities who use their love of popular culture, and their fandom, to engage in a political and activist endeavors.</p>
<p>This short list is by no means comprehensive, but its a brief and necessary reminder of the true heart of geek culture. It provides a snapshot of what activism, <em>fan activism</em>, looks like in the 21st Century:</p>
<p><strong>•&nbsp;<a href="http://www.californiabrowncoats.org" target="_blank">The Browncoats</a></strong>:&nbsp;Fans of the short-lived television series Firefly have held fundraisers called Can’t Stop the Serenity that have raised over $900,000 since 2006 for human rights organization Equality Now.</p>
<p><strong>•&nbsp;<a href="http://thehpalliance.org" target="_blank">Harry Potter Alliance</a></strong>:&nbsp;A fan-created and supported organization with over 270 active chapters in over 25 countries makes activism accessible through the love and power of story. The HPA works for equality, human rights, and literacy—often utilizing social media for book drives, petitions, and fundraising that support their larger goals. Their motto? "The weapon we have is love."</p>
<p><strong>•&nbsp;<a href="http://www.geeksforconsent.org" target="_blank">Geeks for CONsent</a></strong>:&nbsp;A collective of comic, sci-fi, and fantasy convention enthusiasts (formerly of HollabackPHILLY) came together to create safer convention spaces. Geeks for CONsent raises awareness of harassment issues on the con floor, provides a safe online community for sharing stories, and advocates for strong, clear, and visible anti-harassment policies and codes of conduct.</p>
<p><strong>•&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sikhtoons.com/index.html">Sikhtoons</a></strong> and <strong><a href="http://www.pri.org/stories/2014-10-17/captain-america-sikh-you-got-problem" target="_blank">the Sikh Captain America</a>:</strong>&nbsp;Vishavjit Singh’s road to being known as the “Sikh Captain America” began with his political cartooning and a post-9/11 comic illustration drawn at New York City Comic-Con that featured the iconic superhero as a Sikh man with a caption that read: “Relax, it’s just a turban, now let’s kick some intolerant ass.” After the massacre at a Sikh temple in Milwaukee in 2012, Singh started dressing as “the most patriotic of superheroes” and walking around New York City to shake perceptions of turbans and beards—enlightening others’ ideas about race, heroism, and patriotism.</p>
<p><strong>•&nbsp;<a href="http://con-or-bust.org" target="_blank">Con or Bust</a>:</strong>&nbsp;This organization administered under the umbrella of the Carl Brandon Society helps people of color attend science fiction and fantasy conventions and thus increase racial and ethnic diversity in these environments.</p>
<p><strong>•&nbsp;<a href="http://www.comic-con.org/cci/blood-drive" target="_blank">Comic-Con International's Robert A. Heinlein Blood Drive</a></strong>:&nbsp;Started in 1977, the annual drive has collected over 14,000 pints of blood in the past 38 years.&nbsp;Additionally, in an unrelated charitable event every February, supporters of <a href="http://www.womeninhorrormonth.com/massive-blood-drive/" target="_blank"><strong>Women in Horror Month</strong></a> support a month-long massive blood drive.</p>
<p><strong>•&nbsp;<a href="http://www.childsplaycharity.org" target="_blank">Child’s Play</a>:</strong>&nbsp;A game industry charity with a network of over 70 hospitals worldwide, Child’s Play works with hospital staff to establish gift wish lists of video games, toys, and books for kids which supporters can then purchase. (They also accept cash donations.) The opportunity to experience a sense of normalcy while undergoing difficult treatments makes an immense difference in the lives of child patients.</p>
<p><strong>•&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/LadyPlaneswalkersSociety" target="_blank">Lady Planeswalkers Society</a></strong> – Founded by <a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/post/meet-the-awesome-league-of-female-magic-the-gathering-players" target="_blank">Tifa Robles</a>, in 2011, the Lady Planeswalkers Society creates a welcoming, friendly environment for women of all skill levels to learn and battle Magic: The Gathering, a collectible trading card game published by Wizards of the Coast.</p>
<p><em>In the next article in this series, we</em><em>’ll celebrate Geek Girls!</em></p>
<p><em>Jennifer K. Stuller is an </em><a href="http://www.ink-stainedamazon.com" target="_blank"><em>Ink-Stained Amazon</em></a><em> and a co-founder of&nbsp;</em><a href="http://geekgirlcon.com" target="_blank"><em>GeekGirlCon</em></a><em>. Her feature </em><em>“Leveling Up: Geek Woman Are Connecting Like Never Before</em><em>” can be read in </em><a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/issue/65" target="_blank">Bitch<em>’s upcoming (Re)Vision issue</em></a><em>.&nbsp;</em></p>
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http://bitchmagazine.org/post/geek-culture-a-new-hope#commentsgaminggeek culturegeek girl conSocial CommentarySat, 08 Nov 2014 00:08:31 +0000Jennifer K. Stuller28943 at http://bitchmagazine.orgWatch Anita Sarkeesian on "The Colbert Report"http://bitchmagazine.org/post/watch-anita-sarkeesian-on-the-colbert-report
<p class="p1"><img src="/sites/default/files/u2583/colbert_report_anita_sarkeesian.png" alt="anita sarkeesian on the colbert report" width="670" height="377" />Last night, Stephen Colbert invited <a href="http://www.feministfrequency.com/" target="_blank">Feminist Frequency</a> founder Anita Sarkeesian to talk about the <a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/post/as-anita-sarkeesian-shows-online-harassment-is-now-a-life-and-death-issue" target="_blank">recent escalation of harassment</a>&nbsp;against her and other women in the video game industry.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">The segment is short and snappy. It's a good to-the-point primer on <a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/post/hate-from-sexist-gamer-bros-cant-stop-the-work-of-feminist-gamers" target="_blank">why Gamergate is a big deal</a> for people who haven't been following the story.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Here's their exchange from the start of the show:&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Colbert: "Let's call this what it is. You and the other feminazis in the gamer world are coming for our balls, to snip 'em off, put them in a little felt purse, and take 'em away so we have to play your nonviolent games."&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Sarkessian: "There is something going on and it's women being harassed, threatened, and terrorized—" &nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Colbert: "After you first attacked male gamers for enjoying looking at big-breasted women with tiny armor that barely covers their nipples. What is wrong with that? I'm a man, baby! Newsflash, I like it!"&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Sarkeesian: "One of the problems with this is it actually reinforces this cultural myth that women are sexual objects and sexual playthings for male amusement. And we're not."&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Colbert: "We're saving them! They're damsels in distress! Am I supposed to let the princess die? That seems kind of hostile."&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Sakessian: "Maybe the princess shouldn't be a damsel and she can save herself."&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Later in the segment, Colbert asks why exactly women are being threatened. Sarkeesian's response sums it up: "They're lashing out because we're challenging the status quo of gaming as a male-dominated space."</p>
<div style="background-color:#000000;width:520px;">
<div style="padding:4px;"><iframe src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/embed/mgid:arc:video:colbertnation.com:0cae72d8-cc8c-48eb-a21d-0f322090facb" width="512" height="288" frameborder="0"></iframe><br />
<p style="text-align:left;background-color:#FFFFFF;padding:4px;margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><b><a href="http://thecolbertreport.cc.com/">The Colbert Report</a></b><br />Get More: <a href="http://thecolbertreport.cc.com/full-episodes/">Daily Show Full Episodes</a>,<a href="http://www.comedycentral.com/indecision">Indecision Political Humor</a>,<a href="http://www.facebook.com/thecolbertreport">The Colbert Report on Facebook</a></p>
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<p class="p1">Nicely done, both of them.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><em>Related Reading: <a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/post/as-anita-sarkeesian-shows-online-harassment-is-now-a-life-and-death-issue" target="_blank">As Anita Sarkeesian's Experience Shows, Online Harassment Can Be a Life and Death Issue.</a>&nbsp;</em></p>
<p class="p1"><em>Sarah Mirk is Bitch Media's online editor.&nbsp;</em></p>
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http://bitchmagazine.org/post/watch-anita-sarkeesian-on-the-colbert-report#commentsAnita SarkeesiangamingTVThu, 30 Oct 2014 18:42:46 +0000Sarah Mirk28661 at http://bitchmagazine.orgMeet the Awesome League of Female Magic: The Gathering Playershttp://bitchmagazine.org/post/meet-the-awesome-league-of-female-magic-the-gathering-players
<p><img src="/sites/default/files/u2583/planeswalkers1.jpg" alt="tifa robles, the founder of the Lady Planeswalkers Society, smiles at geek girl con" width="670" height="440" /></p>
<p><em>Tifa Robles at the gaming tables where she and others teach women how to play Magic: The Gathering.</em></p>
<p>This past week at <a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/post/nerds-unite-at-seattles-geek-girl-con-photos" target="_blank">Geek Girl Con in Seattle</a>, I met other women who had seen every episode of <em>The X-Files</em>, played every <em>Legend of Zelda </em>game, read every issue of <em>Batgirl</em>, and, sadly, who had experienced similar frustrations with <a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/post/not-all-nerds" target="_blank">harassment and gatekeeping in the geek community</a>. Many different subsets of geek culture are well known for trying to keep women out through various “gate keeping” techniques such as testing women fans on their knowledge of their particular fandom or game or accusing them of faking interest to get attention from men. The community surrounding Magic: The Gathering is no exception. &nbsp;Magic: The Gathering is a collectible trading card game published by Wizards of the Coast, the same company responsible for Dungeons and Dragons. Over the last twenty or so years, Magic has gained significant popularity and become a staple of nerd culture. Magic: The Gathering is played in a competitive tournament setting, casually at kitchen tables, while waiting in line at cons, and everything in between. Magic tournaments are not often a welcoming space for women despite the efforts of many within the community so, naturally, Magic horror stories were a popular topic of discussion at Geek Girl Con.</p>
<p>I work at a popular board game store in Portland, Oregon and part of my job is running Magic tournaments. Hardly a day at work goes by where I do not get asked “So… do you actually <em>play</em> Magic?” or I get an offer from someone to teach me the game—sometimes even after I have given them card recommendations. During the very first week on the job, a customer asked me if I “needed an Advil for my period” because he realized he had annoyed me. Since this was my first experience with such sexist behavior at the store, I just stopped and stared at him in disbelief for a second before asking why he thought that was an appropriate comment.</p>
<p><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5608/15500076506_e078f4e890_b.jpg" alt="the gaming room at geek girl con" width="670" height="450" /></p>
<p><em>Gamers filled the bottom floor of the Seattle convention center for Geek Girl Con this month.</em></p>
<p>Running tournaments is tough: you have to understand the game’s complicated rules very well and make calls in tricky situations that are always going to leave at least one player unhappy. When I ran my first tournament, I learned the true extent of many Magic players’ disbelief that women know and understand the game. I found out from a coworker that while I was away from the counter for a moment, a player came up to ask if I really knew what I was doing. Another incident occurred during my first ruling: while I was giving the ruling and explaining the rules around it, one of the players in question started verifying my ruling using his phone. Use of phones is against tournament rules but I felt uncomfortable calling him out because I was worried about being seen as a jerk. The fact that I even had to worry about being seen as mean for enforcing the rules of the game—as the event runner!—is indicative of a larger problem within the community. There are constantly small moments like this: players ignored me when turning in their match results preferring instead to hand them to a male coworker who was uninvolved with the tournament, for example. These kinds of slights add up.</p>
<p>At Geek Girl Con, I spoke with Tifa Robles, founder of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LadyPlaneswalkersSociety" target="_blank">Lady Planeswalkers Society</a>, a group for women Magic players. Robles plays Magic competitively and worked for Wizards of the Coast on the Magic: the Gathering branding team. She has experienced the same things I have in the Magic scene, from being asked by guys if she actually knew how to play the game to men standing behind her playing backseat Magic—telling her what plays to make despite her extensive knowledge. Robles founded the Lady Planeswalkers Society in 2011 after some of her friends said that they were interested in learning to play Magic but they did not want to learn from their significant others and game stores were too unwelcoming or intimidating. The initial reception of the group by the Magic community at large was “really mixed,” says Robles. Some players were supportive, others said that it was “adorable” but that the group would ultimately fail. Some women told Robles that they thought the Lady Planeswalkers Society was not necessary and only contributed to the popular notion that women are not competitive by nature and cannot succeed in the competitive environments of Magic tournaments and events. Robles is concerned about her reputation as well as the group’s—she does not want to be viewed as someone who imagines sexist behavior where it does not exist or as someone who is creating a hostile environment, but what she’s doing is creating a group that will help everyone in the Magic community by teaching players who might otherwise never play the game.</p>
<p><img src="/sites/default/files/u2583/539638_336872913064206_1733622574_n.jpg" alt="planeswalkers logo" width="670" height="670" /></p>
<p>A lot of work goes into ensuring that the Lady Planeswalkers Society remains a safe space for everyone. Robles mentioned that when the group first started she used to take every potential member aside and explain the group’s intention and goals and then allow them to decide if they were willing to be a part of the group’s mission and act respectfully. &nbsp;While it’s focused on and run by women, men are allowed to play with the group.</p>
<p>Since its founding, the Lady Planeswalkers Society has grown to over 30 chapters. Additionally, the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LadyPlaneswalkersSociety" target="_blank">Lady Planeswalkers Society</a> teaches Magic at many major cons in addition to Geek Girl Con including Emerald City Comic Con, PAX East, PAX, and LoadingReadyRun Con. As a result, the Lady Planeswalkers Society act as ambassadors of sorts between the Magic community and the geek community at large. Personally, I hope the positive reception of the Lady Planeswalkers Society indicates a larger shift in the Magic community toward a more diverse and inclusive scene and hopefully there will be a lot more dialogue about what can be done to create a more welcoming environment for all players in the future and eliminate the negativity brought to the community by a very vocal minority.</p>
<p><em>Related Reading: <a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/post/nerds-unite-at-seattles-geek-girl-con-photos" target="_blank">Nerds Unite at Geek Girl Con.</a></em></p>
<p><em>Liza Dadoly is writer and person of many talents. She last put together a <a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/post/bitchtapes-psychobilly-mixtape" target="_blank">psychobilly mixtape</a> for Bitch. Photos by Sarah Mirk.&nbsp;</em></p>
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http://bitchmagazine.org/post/meet-the-awesome-league-of-female-magic-the-gathering-players#commentsgamingGeneral nerditrySocial CommentaryMon, 20 Oct 2014 20:49:29 +0000Liza Dadoly28469 at http://bitchmagazine.orgHate from Sexist Gamer Bros Can't Stop the Work of Feminist Gamershttp://bitchmagazine.org/post/hate-from-sexist-gamer-bros-cant-stop-the-work-of-feminist-gamers
<p style="padding-left: 60px;" dir="ltr"><img src="/sites/default/files/u2583/screen_shot_2014-09-05_at_2.08.02_pm.png" alt="a chart shows the percentage of gamers who are women" width="553" height="343" /></p>
<p dir="ltr">According to widely circulated study from the Entertainment Software Association, women <a href="http://www.dailydot.com/geek/adult-women-largest-gaming-demographic/">now outnumber</a> teenage boys among the ranks of videogame players. That's despite the fact that many best-selling video games still notoriously rely on tired, hyper-masculine narratives with <a href="http://www.feministfrequency.com/2014/08/women-as-background-decoration-part-2/">women as little more than a scantily-clad garnish on a hearty meal of combat scenes and weapon upgrades</a>.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Outside of mainstream game culture though, <a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/article/gaming-the-system-female-video-game-characters" target="_blank">female game developers are at the forefront</a> of challenging sexism in games, creating titles that include women as authentic characters and that center on personal narratives instead of predictable power fantasies. Indie games have actually become a incredibly <a href="http://borderhouseblog.com/?p=10905" target="_blank">exciting place</a> to be a feminist in recent years, offering fresh perspectives on what games should be about and welcoming an explosion of new talent, particularly from women. Many have explored underrepresented topics like <a href="http://fullbright.company/gonehome/" target="_blank">queer coming of age</a>, <a href="http://www.playchoicetexas.com/" target="_blank">reproductive rights</a> and <a href="http://www.lambdaliterary.org/features/07/08/trans-women-the-new-hypertext/" target="_blank">trans experiences</a>. Contemporary journalism and critical writing about games are also full of feminist voices of all genders from <a href="http://www.critical-distance.com/" target="_blank">blogs</a> and <a href="https://medium.com/mammon-machine-zeal" target="_blank">zines</a> to <a href="http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/224400/Gamers_dont_have_to_be_your_audience_Gamers_are_over.php" target="_blank">industry sites</a>, game writers are shaping a robust critical dialogue around representation and diversity in games. <br class="kix-line-break" /><br class="kix-line-break" />Some days, it feels like we’re at a <a href="http://thenewinquiry.com/features/tni-syllabus-gaming-and-feminism/" target="_blank">crossroads in games</a>, that the power of thoughtful transformative work is pushing us forward. But then the death threats start up again and we’re reminded that the process of untangling gaming culture from toxic misogyny is still very much a work in progress. <br class="kix-line-break" /></p>
<p dir="ltr">Despite (or because, as keen observers <a href="http://ellaguro.blogspot.com/2014/09/on-gamers-and-identity.html">suggest</a>) of the hard work that has made game culture more inclusive, backlash against female designers and critics who push vocally for change has become near constant on social media. This past month, game developer <a href="https://twitter.com/TheQuinnspiracy" target="_blank">Zoe Quinn</a> has been at the center of a <a href="http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/zoe-quinn-slut-shaming-the-feminist-conspiracy-and-depression-quest" target="_blank">perfect storm</a> of hate-speech-laced conspiracy theorizing. Quinn is an accomplished developer best known for her game, “<a href="http://www.depressionquest.com/" target="_blank">Depression Quest</a>” an innovative indie title that explores depression and mental health. In August, an ex-boyfriend published a lengthy account of their breakup online, which launched a campaign of harassment by online vigilantes that spiraled into physical threats on her life.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Swirling amid the free-floating hatred and sex-shaming of Quinn are infuriating questions about her work. Message boards and comment sections are awash with armchair investigators claiming her relationships with journalists were tantamount to jury-rigging the reception of her critically acclaimed game. Putting aside the irony of attacks that involve hacking and theft of personal information over what is being characterized as an issue of "journalistic ethics,” or that charging cultural critics with “corruption” is profoundly missing the point of how critics have always been integral to the development of art and culture—what often goes unmentioned is that none of these alleged acquaintances ever reviewed Depression Quest and that (unlike your typical racketeer) Quinn released her game for free or pay-what-you-wish. It’s a situation women in every professional field are made to fear: that unfair judgments about our personal lives will not only follow us to work, but that at any moment a rumor can be weaponized to tear down our hard-won success.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Right on the heels of that debacle, feminist media critic Anita Sarkeesian was also hit with a wave of misogynist abuse. On August 25th, Sarkeesian released the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5i_RPr9DwMA" target="_blank">latest video</a> in her acclaimed and popular series on gender representation in video games.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.feministfrequency.com/2014/08/women-as-background-decoration-part-2/" target="_blank"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3926/15034097635_5275d82f4c_c.jpg" alt="anita sarkeesian" width="670" height="390" /><br /></a></p>
<p dir="ltr">Sarkeesian has received widespread praise for her clear-cut analysis of the way women are represented in mainstream games, but she has also been the subject vicious online harassment before. Sarkeesian gave an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZAxwsg9J9Q" target="_blank">excellent TEDxWomen talk in 2012</a> about her experience dealing with the online abuse that accompanied the successful kickstarter launch of her video series. However, this recent wave of attacks (which she has been <a href="https://twitter.com/femfreq/status/504718160902492160" target="_blank">candid about</a> online) is a new low, as Sarkeesian received such extreme threats that she was <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/08/29/gaming-vlogger-anita-sarkeesian-is-forced-from-home-after-receiving-harrowing-death-threats/" target="_blank">forced to leave home</a>. She tweeted that when she spoke to police about following up on the specific and violent threats, they seemed unsure about how to deal with online harassment—an <a href="http://www.psmag.com/navigation/health-and-behavior/women-arent-welcome-internet-72170/#.Usq9QZi5wZA.twitter" target="_blank">experience other writers have detailed</a>.</p>
<p dir="ltr">While its easy to dismiss this as "business as usual" in online discourse, those of us concerned with the status of women in tech and in public life more broadly need to be vigilant as we watch these stories play out. The old adage to “never read the comments” is not a solution when careers and personal safety are being threatened. These recent cases illustrate that those who harass women and marginalized folks online aren’t just acting out—<a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/post/trolling-don%E2%80%99t-just-want-to-be-rude%E2%80%94they-want-power-over-us" target="_blank">they are using organized hate speech to exercise power over the people they’re attacking</a>. &nbsp;<br class="kix-line-break" /><br class="kix-line-break" />Given this approach, there continues to be a sadly ironic theme of fear and paranoia to the language of those perpetrating harassment. Twitter users have earnestly adopted hashtags like <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23GamerGate&amp;src=tyah" target="_blank">#GamerGate</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=quinnspiracy&amp;src=tyah" target="_blank">#Quinnspiracy</a>, trading screenshots they allege to be proof that Sarkeesian is secretly rigging her own abuse, and bamboozling followers with false complaints. Others have gathered dozens of names or headshots of journalists and developers, crudely photoshopping them into widely circulated <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeThreepwood/status/505283774146674688/photo/1" target="_blank">flyers</a>, calling for boycotts of all supposed “SJWs” (Social Justice Warriors) who they charge with “ruining” games.<br class="kix-line-break" /><br class="kix-line-break" />Fortunately, for all the mortifying conjecture about this rumored "social justice conspiracy," the response from women and allies to so called #GamerGate has been full of <a href="https://medium.com/@andreaszecher/open-letter-to-the-gaming-community-df4511032e8a">solidarity</a> and support. The developers of the game Saints Row, which Sarkeesian critiques in her new video, have <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/saints-row-dev-responds-to-feminist-frequency-crit/1100-6422014/">come forward</a> to call the criticism deserved, agreeing that, "This is something we all should be better at." Other <a href="http://www.polygon.com/2014/8/28/6078391/video-games-awful-week">journalists</a>, <a href="http://ellaguro.blogspot.com/">game designers</a>, nerd celebrities like <a href="https://twitter.com/wilw/status/505216322645401600">Wil Wheaton</a>, and gaming industry veterans like <a href="https://twitter.com/TimOfLegend/status/504095132220526592">Tim Schafer</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/PHIL_FlSH">Phil Fish</a> have lauded Sarkisian’s work and are speaking out against harassment. “SJWs” themselves, in responses to this manufactured controversy, have been delivering barbs of quietly hilarious antagonism to brighten any beleaguered feminists’ day whilst infuriating irony-averse trolls. <br class="kix-line-break" /></p>
<p dir="ltr">Writer and illustrator Elizabeth Simins' popular meme and t-shirt campaign&nbsp;<a href="http://gamingsfeministilluminati.com/" target="_blank">Gaming’s Feminist Illuminati</a>&nbsp;was&nbsp;recently joined by game developer&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/legobutts" target="_blank">Maya Felix Kramer</a>'s new&nbsp;<a href="http://teespring.com/cuties" target="_blank">&nbsp;t-shirt</a>&nbsp;created&nbsp;for any and all “cuties” in on the clandestine campaign to kill games.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="/sites/default/files/u2583/cuties_killing_video_games.jpg" alt="A t-shirt reads &quot;cuties killing video games&quot;" width="652" height="556" /></p>
<p dir="ltr">For those of you who favor a more proactive approach to taking videogames down from the inside, game developer Caelyn Sandel has also launched <a href="http://itch.io/jam/ruinjam2014" target="_blank">Ruin Jam</a>, a two week game jam which began Labor Day and promises that “any games that contribute to the downfall of video games are good candidates for submission.” You can check out the first entry, by IGF-nominated game developer <a href="https://twitter.com/TheSquink" target="_blank">Dierdra “Squinky” Kiai</a> for free or donation today, the appropriately named, Quing's Quest VII: The Death of Videogames!.” &nbsp;</p>
<p>A sea change is coming to games, as evidenced by the explosion of projects supporting women game developers like Toronto’s <a href="https://dmg.to/" target="_blank">Dames Making Games</a>, NYC’s <a href="http://codeliberation.org/" target="_blank">Code Liberation</a> and the international organization <a href="http://girlsmakegames.com/" target="_blank">Girls Make Games</a>. But we can’t expect folks like Quinn, Sarkeesian and <a href="http://www.themarysue.com/gamergate-harms-women/" target="_blank">many other</a> vocal women in games to take the fall in the meantime. If more stakeholders in games, like game studios and publishers, don’t proactively work to create a safer and more inclusive culture, they’re not only complicit in the dangerous harassment of women, they’re alienating their best customers.</p>
<p><em>Related Reading — <a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/article/gaming-the-system-female-video-game-characters" target="_blank">Gaming the System: A Female-Led Games D.O.A.?</a></em><br class="kix-line-break" /><br class="kix-line-break" /><em><a href="https://twitter.com/schoemannator">Sarah Schoemann</a> is the founder of <a href="https://twitter.com/DifferentGames">Different Games Conference</a> and PhD student at GA Tech She plays a lot of Animal Crossing. Like, A LOT.</em></p>
<p><em>Editor's Note: This article originally misattributed credit for the "cuties killing video games" t-shirt design. The error was corrected on September 9.</em></p>
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http://bitchmagazine.org/post/hate-from-sexist-gamer-bros-cant-stop-the-work-of-feminist-gamers#commentsAnita SarkeesiangaminginternetsNewsFri, 05 Sep 2014 21:32:13 +0000Sarah Schoemann27366 at http://bitchmagazine.orgOn Our Radar: Feminist News Rounduphttp://bitchmagazine.org/post/on-our-radar-feminist-news-roundup-38
<p><em>Here's what's on our radar today!</em></p>
<p>• Here come by the body police: Internet commenters&nbsp;<a href="http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/24/pregnant-weight-lifter-stirs-debate/?ref=health&amp;_r=1" target="_blank">shame pregnant woman</a>&nbsp;about weight lifting. [NYT]</p>
<p>• Women make up&nbsp;<a href="http://www.motherjones.com/media/2013/09/women-conductors-gap-charts-marin-alsop-proms" target="_blank">only 20% of conductors</a>&nbsp;in US orchestras, making conducting one of "the last glass ceilings in the music industry." [Mother Jones]</p>
<p>• Trans*H4ck, the first hackathon dedicated to helping the trans community,&nbsp;<a href="http://geekfeminism.org/2013/09/23/transh4ck-1-0-trans-coders-make-their-own-history/" target="_blank">showcased great new projects</a>&nbsp;like a user-editable trans resource database and a trans health wiki. [Geek Feminism]</p>
<p>• It's Banned Books Week! Ever noticed that lot of the most frequently banned books in the US are&nbsp;<a href="http://www.blogher.com/why-are-there-so-many-stories-about-girls-and-people-color-banned-books-lists" target="_blank">by women and people of color</a>? &nbsp;[BlogHer]&nbsp;</p>
<p>• Izzy Chan discusses&nbsp;<a href="http://thehairpin.com/2013/09/izzy-cha" target="_blank">her new documentary, "The Big Flip,"</a>&nbsp;about the complications in social expectations that come up when the wife is the breadwinner of the household. [The Hairpin]</p>
<p>• PBS Game/Show asks the question,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UrazpEFb9w" target="_blank">"Do Gamers Need Anita Sarkeesian's Feminism?"</a>&nbsp;Answer: Unsurprisingly, yes. [PBS]</p>
<p>• Claudia over at Autostraddle explains&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autostraddle.com/brought-to-you-by-the-letter-i-why-intersex-politics-matters-to-lgbt-activism-192760/" target="_blank">why intersex issues matter</a>&nbsp;to LGBT activism. [Autostraddle]</p>
<p>• Of eighteen speakers,&nbsp;<a href="http://jezebel.com/dealbook-conference-could-only-find-1-woman-to-talk-abo-1384591930" target="_blank">only one woman</a>&nbsp;will be included in the&nbsp;<em>New York Times</em>&nbsp;Dealbook roster this year. [Jezebel]</p>
<p>• Check out some independent queer TV and watch the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFhK3OBSGf0" target="_blank">first episode of Dyke Central</a>. [Dyke Central]</p>
<p><em>Share what you're reading in the comments.</em></p>
http://bitchmagazine.org/post/on-our-radar-feminist-news-roundup-38#commentsbooksgamingLGBTmoviesmusictechnologyNewsThu, 26 Sep 2013 15:48:25 +0000Arielle Yarwood24202 at http://bitchmagazine.orgOn Our Radar: Feminist News Rounduphttp://bitchmagazine.org/post/on-our-radar-feminist-news-roundup-31
<p><em>Here's what's on our radar today!&nbsp;</em></p>
<p>• Umme-Hani Khan, who was fired by Abercrombie for wearing a hijab,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.today.com/money/abercrombies-look-policy-gets-slammed-judge-over-hijab-8C11126082" target="_blank">has won her discrimination case</a>.&nbsp;Abercrombie argued to the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that their workers are not employees subject to regular employment law but actually "living advertisements." Nice try, jerks. [Today]</p>
<p>• Whitney Hills&nbsp;<a href="http://kotaku.com/what-its-like-to-be-a-woman-making-games-1292389459" target="_blank">talks about her experience</a>&nbsp;as a woman who works in the gaming industry. [Kotaku]</p>
<p>• According to Hanna Rosin,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2013/09/the_end_of_men_why_feminists_won_t_accept_that_things_are_looking_up_for.single.html" target="_blank">the patriarchy is dead</a> and we're all just looking for something to complain abou<a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2013/09/the_end_of_men_why_feminists_won_t_accept_that_things_are_looking_up_for.single.html" target="_blank">t</a>. [Slate]&nbsp;</p>
<p>•&nbsp;<a href="http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/09/10/2597861/united-nations-rape-study-asia/" target="_blank">What can we learn from the UN's study</a>&nbsp;on the roots of sexual violence? [ThinkProgress]&nbsp;</p>
<p>• dapperQ tackled the lack of diversity at New York Fashion Week&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autostraddle.com/dapperq-infuses-new-york-fashion-week-with-racial-diversity-multifarious-gender-realness-194909/" target="_blank">by co-producing their own fashion show</a>, representing "queer owned and operated brands designing menswear for masculine presenting women, gender-queers, and trans* identified individuals." [Autostraddle]</p>
<p>• The Shook Twins,&nbsp;<a href="/post/sxsw-women-with-guitars-bands-review-music-feminist">who we loved at SXSW this year</a>, kicked off their <a href="http://www.shooktwins.com/site/tour-dates/">national tour</a> by playing inside one of Portland's Caravan tiny house hotels.&nbsp;</p>
<p><iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/vMg3Y9x3-5Y" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p><em>Add what you're reading to the comments!</em></p>
http://bitchmagazine.org/post/on-our-radar-feminist-news-roundup-31#commentsfashiongamingmusicpatriarchyRaceNewsThu, 12 Sep 2013 16:16:05 +0000Arielle Yarwood24081 at http://bitchmagazine.orgIn Video Games, Women Are the Voice of Artificial Intelligence http://bitchmagazine.org/post/in-video-games-women-are-the-voice-of-artificial-intelligence
<p><img src="http://theplayvault.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Shodan_SystemShock.jpg" alt="Shodan - a woman's face with wires coming out" width="100%" height="100%" /></p>
<p><em>Photo: SHODAN, the creepy, creepy female computer from System Shock.&nbsp;</em></p>
<p><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1663662/" target="_blank">Pacific Rim</a>&nbsp;</em>hit theaters last month and for a movie about large robots fighting off hulking monsters, it has a surprising amount of story. The blockbuster&nbsp;has a woman of color (<a title="Rinko Kikuchi" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rinko_Kikuchi">Rinko Kikuchi</a>&nbsp;as fighter Mako Mori)&nbsp;as a main character but, sadly, the film still does not pass the&nbsp;<a href="http://bechdeltest.com/">Bechdel Test</a>. The only female cast member that Mori talks with is not a real person but her robot-fighting-machine, Gipsy Danger, whose computer is voiced by actress Ellen McLain.</p>
<p>Across media, artificial intelligence (AI) is often given a feminine voice. Actresses portray voices that are mechanized, concise, educated, informative, and helpful. This echoes real life, where intelligent robots from Siri to GPS units are given female voices. A CNN article two couple years dug into the <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/21/tech/innovation/female-computer-voices" target="_blank">history behind this phenomena,</a> citing the fact that women were once the majority of telephone operators (which made people "accustomed to getting assistance from a disembodied woman's voice") and that&nbsp;women's voices were used in early airplane cockpit controls because they stood out among the all-male crews. This tendency has bled over into video games, where science fiction and computer advancements have always been part of popular game design and the voices of computers are predominantly female.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With the recent discussion in the video game community about the <a href="/article/gaming-the-system-female-video-game-characters" target="_blank">lack of quality female characters</a>, it is interesting to see that many of the "fake" people and minds in video games are portrayed as female.&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>Pacific Rim</em>'s McLain is most well known for her voice work in the&nbsp;<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal_(video_game)" target="_blank">Portal</a> video game&nbsp;franchise, where her portrayal of GLaDOS (Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System) may be one of the best-known AI voices from video games. In <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo_(series)" target="_blank">Halo</a>—one of the world's most popular video game&nbsp;series—AI Cortana (voiced by Jen Taylor) assists and informs the player while in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_Effect" target="_blank">Mass Effect 2&nbsp;and&nbsp;Mass Effect 3</a>, EDI (voiced by Tricia Helfer) is a female-voiced AI that takes physical shape in a provocative robotic female body.&nbsp;&nbsp;Going farther back, the early 1990's epic cyberpunk series <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_Shock" target="_blank">System Shock</a> was built around combating the villainous computer SHODAN (voiced by Terri Brosius). These are just a handful of the most memorable female-voiced AI characters from the world of gaming.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Artificial intelligence units are not true people, but the prevalence to refer to GLaDOs as 'she' instead of 'it' remains.&nbsp;&nbsp;These computers contain a mix of stereotypically gendered traits, from feminine gracefulness to the masculine lack of emotion. But these computer programs share a lot of traits with successful women in the workplace; they are effective, hard working, confident, knowledgeable, and self-reliant. Given this there is still, in most cases, no realistic middle ground; these AIs are either helpful—following orders as an artificial assistant—or they are cruel and cunning bosses the player must outsmart.</p>
<p>Full-fledged, complex female characters in video games are still hard to come by, but these exaggerated, objectified feminine computer programs are actually very well known and persistent.&nbsp;&nbsp;While these AIs may be viewed as intelligent women, some are sexualized. While&nbsp;Halo's AI Cortana started off as blocky graphics back in 2001, her most recent rendition depicts her as a seductive and naked digitized woman.&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="http://halofanforlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/evolution_of_cortana.jpg" alt="Halo's robot begins as a blocky woman and winds up as a sexy robot" width="100%" height="100%" /></p>
<p>Mass Effect's EDI implants her own consciousness into the empty robotic shell of a metal femme fatale.&nbsp;&nbsp;It is noted throughout the game that EDI has chosen to inhabit an attractive form.&nbsp;With their attractive bodies, they are also mostly void of emotion but brimming with information and assistance.&nbsp;</p>
<p>It is interesting to note that the helpful female AIs are usually given attractive female forms, while those who are independent and usually malicious are abstract voices issuing from faceless machines.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Characters such as GLaDOS and SHODAN are loved, but these AI characters are not doing video games any favors towards more realistic interpretations of women.&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>Related Reading: Hanna White digs into <a href="/post/where-are-all-the-queer-characters-in-video-games" target="_blank">queer video game characters</a> and check out this great piece on <a href="http://borderhouseblog.com/?p=10617" target="_blank">teaching intersectionality through Halo</a> over at Border House.</em></p>
<p><em>This is an edited version of a post that&nbsp;<a href="http://wewomengamers.blogspot.com/2013/08/feminine-voice-of-reason.html" target="_blank">originally appeared</a>&nbsp;on&nbsp;<a href="http://wewomengamers.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">We Women Gamers</a>.</em></p>
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http://bitchmagazine.org/post/in-video-games-women-are-the-voice-of-artificial-intelligence#commentsgamingHALOvideo gamesMediaMon, 05 Aug 2013 23:49:48 +0000Kaitlin Statz23753 at http://bitchmagazine.org